Majak Daw makes early return to North Melbourne for pre-season training
An untimely injury denied Majak Daw a heartwarming AFL comeback last season but he’s doing all he can to get back into North Melbourne’s senior line-up by cutting short his off-season break.
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Majak Daw has gained a month-long head start on his pre-season campaign as he seeks to grab the defensive position vacated by Scott Thompson.
The intercept marking star tore his hamstring in his fourth VFL game this year the week before he was scheduled to make an emotional AFL return after his mental health crisis.
But with his hip and pelvis recovery complete he has returned to training at Arden St early before the senior players make their official return next Monday.
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Daw’s plan was to play Rounds 14-17 in the VFL playing a quarter, a half, three quarters and then a full game before an AFL return but suffered a serious hamstring injury in the last VFL audition.
New senior assistant Jade Rawlings said he couldn’t have been more impressed by the young batch of kids at the Roos in his first weeks at North Melbourne.
He was emphatic yesterday that the Roos’ bruising contested style of play would be their brand after its success in Rhyce Shaw’s time in charge.
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He said it was Shaw’s authenticity and passion that won him over and saw him move from Melbourne, a decision not related to his brother Brady’s new role as head of footy.
The Roos’ clear priority is filling the hole left by retiring defender Scott Thompson, with Daw hoping to take that role after his breakout 2018 was stalled by a Bolte Bridge fall.
“Sam Durdin should really flourish now that Thompson has retired and I like him as a player. Majak in 2018 was becoming a really good defender. With Thompson we have got that opportunity and it will be interesting to see who grabs hold of it,” he said.
“Majak is still not required to return yet but I have seen him here over the last three weeks multiple times and he’s progressing well. He is moving freely and he has got a smile on his face so that’s the main thing.
“At Melbourne in 2018 we had to put a defensive forward on him to stop him marking the ball so that’s always a good reflection on your impact on the game.
“It’s taken a while to understand he can play consistent AFL footy but that little snapshot of 2018 continues to excite the people at the club.”
North Melbourne became a ferocious tackling side under Shaw, attacking the ball and man with an intent that saw rivals taken aback.
It was a statement of intent rather than a short-term emotional response.
“It is what we are going to be recognised for. It’s going to be our brand,” Rawlings said.
“Rhyce has been open, we put it on show in the second half of last year.
“It’s who we are and what we want to be so it’s how we train it and how we present it no matter what is thrown at it. We think it stands up in September so it’s why we are going to play that way.”
Rawlings said supporters should feel confident in the club’s long-term plan after it swapped its 2019 draft pick with Melbourne’s 2020 first-rounder in a deal that also netted the Demons’ 26 and 50 this year.
“The club was very strategic with the draft picks we have and how we are going to utilise those and the deal was a big deal with Melbourne but the strategy behind it was very well thought-out so I would encourage the North faithful to trust the management with the decision they have made. It’s very well planned and in the best interests of the footy club.”
Originally published as Majak Daw makes early return to North Melbourne for pre-season training
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